The Prime Minister on Saturday believed that new opportunities are emerging for cooperation between Portugal and Colombia in the field of renewable energy, in the presence of national companies in the agri-food sector and in the field of drug use.
These three areas of bilateral cooperation were identified by António Costa after receiving the President of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, who arrived in São Bento almost two hours late.
In his short address to journalists, the Portuguese Prime Minister said that Colombia has welcomed investments from several Portuguese companies in energy, construction and food distribution in recent years.
“We want to continue to strengthen our political and economic relationship with Colombia. We see a huge opportunity in developing the joint effort to support the energy transition, not only with renewable energies, but also with regard to green hydrogen and other green molecules”he stressed.
According to the leader of the Portuguese government, there are “opportunities to strengthen bilateral economic relations”.
“We follow with great interest President Gustavo Petro’s commitment to total peace in Colombia and to the inclusive development of the entire territory of the country,” he said.
In this sense, according to António Costa, the Portuguese government has taken note of “the invitation addressed to other Portuguese companies to invest in tourism and agri-food, in order to increase the income of local communities” in Colombia.
“Social cohesion is an essential condition for peace,” emphasizes António Costa.
The Prime Minister also said he had expressed interest in “cooperating with Colombia in the international debate he wants to open on the drug issue” and, on the other hand, in “a better understanding of the Portuguese experience in consumption policies”.
“An international debate must be held to eliminate a company that poses a threat to human rights, a threat to peace and sustainable and inclusive development around the world,” he added.
Source: DN
